vanilla paste vs. vanilla extract

Lately several of my recipes have used vanilla paste (um, why do I type pasta every time there?) instead of vanilla extract. Within an hour of my last recipe publishing, I had 18 people ask me about vanilla paste. Several more questions throughout the day and days after – so I thought I’d share more here.

I order my vanilla paste online, but I have seen it in some stores. Vanilla paste is the same as (pure*) vanilla extract in strength and flavor – so you can easily substitute the same amount of vanilla extract for any recipe with paste.

*I always buy pure vanilla extract, not imitation. I don’t know what that is, but it is synthetic.

I just love vanilla, and I love products. Especially cooking and baking products, so I have to try everything. Vanilla paste is more like a gel consistency, and has the vanilla bean seeds in it:

I also use vanilla powder. I haven’t had this in a while, but I picked some up when we were in Mexico in December.

This stuff is good. Almost coconutty good.

Vanilla powder is the whole vanilla bean, ground into a fine powder. I use it to flavor liquids, from smoothies to coffee drinks.

The only time I use imitation vanilla is when I am making a buttercream or cream cheese frosting and I need the frosting to stay REALLY white and the imitation is clear whereas real vanilla will make the whole ting tinged a bit brown. I have also bought a baking supply product that couteracts that; basically a white food dye.

I love vanilla. I have done entire posts on it! But crazy..I have never cooked with vanilla bean paste. What am I waiting for!

We make our own vanilla extract with vanilla bean and cheap vodka. I use it so much that it’s pointless to buy and so much better and cheaper to make on your own. I’ve always wanted to try the paste though. I just so stinkin’ cheap.

omg vanilla. There was so much of it in India. I didn’t know there was such a thing as vanilla paste! I bought SO many beans… but I’m already running low :S will need to look into this paste business, looks soooo good. You’re right, coconutty good.

So far, I’ve always used a vanilla bean and scraped the seeds out or threw the whole thing into the blender. 😛 I’ve also used vanilla sugar, but that one just has aroma, no real vanilla. And, you know, sugar … 😉

I have a nice bottle of VAINilla too 🙂 That always cracks me up. I’ve never used paste, but I’d probably love it. I over-vanilla whenever I can, too. And YES, always the real stuff–it’s worth the extra money and then some. I’d love to experiment with whole vanilla beans–I eye them every time I pass them in the grocery–but have yet to do so.

hee, VAINilla – I loved that too. good to know you are also an over-vanilla-er 😉 you should try the paste, I think it tastes even better! I made my own vanilla in college a couple times – besides one cheesecake that is the only time I’ve used vanilla bean – and I feel bad about that! I need to make vanilla again…

Hello, my name is Linda, and I am a vanilla-holic. I am so bad that I even go to Juarez to get my fix. I usually triple vanilla in my baking. I have used vanilla powder, but I had never heard of vanilla paste, until now. Will definately have to try it!

Thank you for telling us the difference between the paste and extract. This was the best description (and picture) I found online. I too add double the vanilla extract. Maybe I need to scrape some seeds into my cookies too.

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Hello and Welcome! I am Kristina Sloggett - voracious reader, chickpea eater. also known as spabettie.

I love the FOOMP and CRACKLE of vintage flash bulbs. Portland, karaoke, and dachshunds and VIBRANT PLANT BASED FOOD.

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